Governor candidates hope for quick resolution as Ford workers go on strike in Kentucky

Kentucky’s gubernatorial candidates say they’re hopeful Ford and the United Auto Workers union can reach a quick agreement to end a strike after nearly 9,000 workers at Ford’s Kentucky Truck Plant walked off the job Wednesday.

Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said he hopes the union and Ford can reach a quick agreement, one that benefits both parties.

“The UAW represents thousands of our hard-working families and Ford is an important employer in Kentucky. We need both a strong UAW and Ford,” Beshear said in a tweet.

Rivaling governor candidate Daniel Cameron (R) blamed the strike on “Bidenomics” and also hoped for a quick resolution.

“Bidenomics is responsible for driving up costs, which drives down household income in Kentucky,” Cameron, the state’s attorney general, said in a tweet. “Instead of ending Bidenomics, Andy Beshear pledged his support for four more years of it yesterday.”

Morgan McGarvey, the Democratic congressman representing Kentucky’s 3rd Congressional district, said he stands with the workers on strike.

“Local 862 is responsible for 54% of Ford’s North American profits, & their workers deserve a fair contract, good benefits & wages, & safe working conditions,” McGarvey said in a tweet. “Louisville is a union town & it’s going to stay that way.”

Kentucky’s House Democratic Caucus released a statement Thursday afternoon saying it was “proud to support” the striking workers.

“These men and women sacrificed a lot to make Ford’s – and the overall auto industry’s – current success possible, and they deserve not just their fair share of that growth now, but assurances that they will continue to have a strong voice as the industry moves more toward alternative-fuel vehicles,” the caucus said in a statement.

Why Kentucky Ford workers are on strike

Auto workers across the United States have been striking against Ford, General Motors and Stellantis since Sept. 15 over pay and profit-sharing.

Thousands of workers who were scheduled to start their shifts at 6 p.m. Wednesday shut down the truck plant in Louisville after union officials informed them it was time to walk out over what they called a lack of progress.

The UAW posted multiple videos on X, formerly known as Twitter, of many workers walking out of the plant and protesting with signs.

UAW President Shawn Fain said in a video posted on X that the union’s bargaining committee went to Ford Headquarters in Michigan Wednesday in hopes of striking a new deal. Ford presented the committee with the same deal it offered two weeks ago, which prompted the union to expand its strike.

“In our position they’re not taking us serious,” Fain said in the video. “We’ve been very patient working with the company on this. At the end of the day, they have not met expectations, they’re not even coming to the table on it.”

Ford: Serious consequences come with strike

Ford issued a statement after the truck plant joined the strike, calling the decision grossly irresponsible but unsurprising. It said it made an outstanding offer to the bargaining committee and has been bargaining in good faith.

“The UAW leadership’s decision to reject this record contract offer – which the UAW has publicly described as the best offer on the table – and strike Kentucky Truck Plant, carries serious consequences for our workforce, suppliers, dealers and commercial customers,” Ford said in the statement.

The truck plant in Louisville generates $25 billion in revenue yearly and builds the Ford F-Series Super Duty, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs, according to Ford. The company said the decision to strike will trigger “painful aftershocks” by putting additional plants at risk.

“This decision by the UAW is all the more wrongheaded given that Ford is the only automaker to add UAW jobs since the Great Recession and assemble all of its full-size trucks in America,” Ford said in the statement.

The UAW said Fain will speak on a Facebook live Friday at 10 a.m. to give updates on the bargaining and potential next steps on the strike if necessary.

“If the company is not going to come to the table and take care of the membership’s needs, then we will react,” Fain said in the video. “The bargaining committee and vice presidents and the membership are staying united and that’s how we’re going to get this done.”

Representatives from Ford and the local UAW chapter did not immediately respond to requests for more information.